Electric pocket-lamp.



J. G. SWALLOW.

ELEGTRIG POCKET LAMP.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 10,1913v 1,119,663. Patented Dec. 1,1914.

a?) 5352 r- 5 W132? 43 v ewe-@13 JOSEPH G. SWALLOW, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRIC POCKET LAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 1,1914.

Application filed May 10,, 1913. Serial No. 766,752.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J ()SEPH G. SWALLOWV,

a citizen of the United States of Ameriisa,- v and residing in the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a certain new and Improved Electric Pocket-Lamp, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electric pocket lamps and the object of my invention is to provide a device of this character which is simple, economical and efiiclent 1n construc- 7 tion and by which a novel control of the direction of the light and of the lamp circuit is secured.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 1s a broken side elevation of a pocket lamp of one type in which my invention is em on the line 44, Fig. 2.

bodied; Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the upper portion of the casing; Fig 3 is a broken plan thereof; and Fig. 4 is'a section Pocket lamps of this general character are usually provided with a casing in which a dry battery is inclosed, one end of the cas ing having a bulls eye electric lamp electrically connected through a switch to the battery terminals. The lamp and its reflector are generally arranged to project the light only in the direction of the long axis of the casing. For many purposes this is not convenient. Furthermore, the location of the switch is often such as to make its use inconvenient and troublesome, with the result that the battery strength is Wastedsimply because it is too much bother to turn the switch off tem orarily during an intermittent use of the amp.

The present construction is designed to render the direction of the light from the switch adjustable and to provide a 0011- veniently arranged and easily operated switch mechanism.

7 The invention is here shown applied to a removable end casing or hood 15. Thecylindrical casin is of ordinary construction, as is likewise t 1e casing contact spring and battery. My invention resides primarily in the end casing or hood 15 and its related parts.

The upper end of the cylindrical casing 10 is provided as usual with a threaded ferrule 16 or the like, and the lower portion of the hood 15 is correspondingly threaded at 17 so that the screwing down of the hood on the casing serves to mechanically secure the parts together as well as to bring the battery terminal 13 into electrical connection with the contact 14;. The latter is insulated in any sultable manner from the hood 15,

the shell of which is here shown constructed throughout of metal. As a simple expedient, I have mounted it in a cross bar 18 of insulating material such as fiber which is held in position by screws 19 passing through the casing. A wire 20 connects the contact 14.- with the sprin switch terminal 21 carried by the block of insulation 22 likewise secured to the hood casing by screws 23. A second spring switch terminal 24 is mounted on the insulation 22 and is so arranged with relation to the terminal 21 that their free ends are normally in contact so that the circuit therethrough is completed. A conductor 25 leads from the terminal 24 to the center contact of the lamp 26, the shell contact of the latter being constantly made through the metal of the battery and hood casings to the metal reflector 27 in the base of which the shell of the lamp is soldered. A thimble 28 of insulation maybe secured around the shell contact end of the;

lamp to prevent accidental contactbetween the latter and the center contact conductor The lamp and reflector are mounted in a segmental carrier 29 pivoted at 30 in the hood and provided with a cylindricalthreaded boss 31 over-which the edge of the refiector lies and against which it is clamped by the screw ring 32 which holds the bulls eye lens 33- in position. Any suitable means such as a pin prick 3-]: in the hood and a series of small indentations 35 in the top 40. To open the battery circuit, it is only necessary to depress the finger piece 39 which serves to separate the switch contacts through the action of the wedge 37. The

upward movementofth'e wedge of course permits the switch terminals to resume their normal position in contact with the circuit completed through the lamp.

It will be observed that the hood elements are self-contained in the sense that the hood has only to be screwed down on the shell of the usual cylindrical pocket lamp casing to establish the electrical connections. The hood may thus be sold as a separate attachment for pocket lamps, already on the market, a feature of considerable value.

The device has a varied utility, but it will be particularly valuable to meter readers, etc., who have not only to note the reading of a meter (usually in a vdark cellar), but must make a memorandum of the reading at once. For the latter purpose both hands must be free. The present lamp may be conveniently dropped into the outside breast )ocket of a mans coat after a reading has oeen made, and in this position the light will be thrown down upon the book carried in the user's left hand, leaving the right hand free to make the entry.

Various modifications readily suggest themselves.

I claim as my invention 1. An electric pocket lamp comprising a battery casing and an end closure therefor having electrical conductors automatically brought into the battery circuit upon the adjustment of the closure, a lamp pivotally mounted on said end closure, a switch carried by the latter and an electrical connection through said switch to the lamp, for the purpose described. I

2. An electric pocket lamp comprising a battery casing, an end closure therefor, a lamp pivctally mounted on the latter and of detail will arranged to direct its light at an angle to the axis of the battery casing, a switch in the lamp circuit and an operating men'iber therefor projecting through the end of the closure member.

3. An electric pocket lamp comprising a battery casing, an cndclosure therefor, a lamp carried by the latter and adapted to be swung through an angle cutting the axis of the battery casing, and a switch to control the circuit through the lamp, said switch being operative to complete the lamp circuit when the lamp is at an angle to the axis of the battery casing.

4. An electric pocket lamp comprising a battery casing, an end closure therefor, a contact carried by the latter and adapted to engage a battery terminal in the adjusted position of the parts, a lamp and a switch carried by the end closure and a connection through said switch to the lamp from said contact, said switch being operative to complete the lamp circuit when the lamp is atan angle to the axis of the battery casing, substantially as described.

5. An electric pocket lamp comprising a battery casing, an end closure therefor, a

contact carried by the latter and adapted to engage a battery terminal in the adjusted position of the parts, a lamp pivoted on said closure, a switch carried by the latter and a connection through said switch to the lamp from said contact.

6. An electric pocket lamp comprising a battery casing and an end closure therefor having electrical conductors automatically brought into the battery circuit upon the adjustment of the closure, a lamp pivotally mounted on said end closure, a switch carried by the latter and an electrical connection through said switch to the lamp, together with means for holding said lamp in predetermined angular position.

7. An electric pocket lamp comprising a battery casing, an end closure therefor comprising a lamp, switch terminals on said closure normally in closed condition and a switch plunger for separatin said termi nals to open the circuit, substantially as described.

8. An electric pocket lamp comprising a battery casing open and threaded at one end, a threaded hood adapted to be screwed on said casing, a sector pivoted on said hood, a lamp and bulls eye carried by said sector, a switch carried by the hood and electrical connections through said switch to the lamp.

.9. In an electric pocket lamp, a casing and a hood detachably connected to said casin a sector pivoted on said hood, a lamp carried by said sector, a switch mounted on the hood and electrical connections through said switch to the lamp.

10. In an electric pocket lamp, a cylindrical casing open at one end, a battery within and making electrical contact at one terminal with said casing, a hood detaehably mounted on and in electrical contact with said casing, a conductor making electrical contact with the other battery terminal in the adjusted position of said hood, a switch carried by the hood, a lamp pivotally mounted on the hood and electrical connections to name to this specification, in the presence of one germinal1 of said lamp thrlough slaid two subscribing witnesses. switc 1,' the ot1er lamp terminal ein e ectrically connected to the battery through the JOSEPH bWALLOxV' 5 hood and battery casing, substantially as Witnesses:

described. JOHN C. CARROLL, In testimony whereof I have signed my B. A. NEEDIIAM. 

